Homegrown Grace showcases area vendors in a rural setting

​     Randy and AJ Schnebbe, owners of RS Welding Studio in rural Victor, showcase a metal creation Randy recently made at the business during the Homegrown Grace, Meet on the Farm, event on Saturday, Sept. 13. The couple started the Homegrown Grace, Meet on the Farm, event in 2021. The event draws nearly 60 vendors and is held twice a year in the spring and fall.

By J.O. Parker
 
      What started as an Amish lawn furniture business 25 plus years ago has turned into one of the premier farmer’s market craft events in the Central Iowa area.
       Homegrown Grace, Meet on the Farm, is held twice yearly in rural Victor. The event draws upwards to 60 vendors selling all kinds of homemade wares from jewelry to baked goods, fresh vegetables, artwork, flowers, meats, sewing creations, kid-made goods, leather items, greeting cards, beauty items, soaps, beeswax lotions, candles, a sawmill and home décor goods.
        Randy and AJ Schnebbe host the event at their farm and the home of RS Welding Studio at 2026 B Ave. in rural Victor (I-80 Exit 205).
         Vendors are located in the various outbuildings and even the garage at the Schnebbe farm. An estimated 900 guests visit the twice-yearly event.
         The most recent Homegrown Grace held on Saturday, Sept. 13 also drew a half dozen food vendors, live music provided by Nick Stika and Tom Nugent and a kids’ fun zone, which included the Schnebbe’s newest toy, a SUDS Foam Machine.
         “That is a Randy deal,” said AJ with a chuckle.
         SUDS opened its doors in May and is available for everything from birthday parties to town celebrations.
      Also on the farm is the couple’s agribusiness gift shop featuring the many products that Randy and company create at the welding studio along with many homemade goods and gift items from local vendors.
       The store is also home to the Whistle Stop Coffee and Bar and the Chicken Coop, a tea room where customers can meet and have lunch prepared by AJ and assistant Patti Henning. The Chicken Coop caters to groups of two to 24.
          AJ is also the proud owner of Got Dough, an edible cookie dough business.
The early days
          As with any new business venture, Homegrown Grace started with an idea and grew from there.
It all started prior to 1999, when Randy started selling hay to an Amish family from the Jessup area near Waterloo.
        The family made handcrafted lawn furniture and Randy stuck a deal with them and started selling it at the Des Moines Farmers’ Market.
        He even opened a storefront in Victor (Amish Creations) where he sold a variety of Amish-made indoor and outdoor furniture for a season.
         Randy had the owner of the local flower shop call him when he had the occasional customer.
        That same year, in November, Randy and AJ (Amy Jo), a farm girl from Kansas, were married.
       In the summer of 2000, RS Lawn Furniture was born and in 2001, Randy and AJ started incorporating yard art made in Mexico in their offerings. They also changed the name of the business to RS Lawn Furniture & More. 
      In 2003, while attending a show in Cedar Rapids, the couple met Ben and Donna Haddox from South Coffeyville, Okla., and a partnership was born.
        “Ben started teaching me how to design and make the yard art,” Randy said.
        The duo worked together welding products, Ben in Oklahoma and Randy in Iowa.
        “We started with a large rock and metal ant and branched into other artwork including creatures, critters, windmills, pumpkins, seasonal metal work and flower pot holders,” said Randy.
      In 2008, the couple added the Cedar Rapids Farmers’ Market to their list of places to sell their metal artwork and other products.
      In 2009, Randy and AJ changed the name of the business to RS Welding Studio. A new building was constructed on the farm, a major improvement from the old machine shed.
         In 2012, the couple purchased a CNC plasma table. AJ filled out a host of forms to get the studio licensed with Iowa, Iowa State, UNI, Drake and AJ’s beloved Kansas State Wildcats to make college products.
       Randy said he and AJ will forever be grateful for the relationship they had with Ben and Donna, who retired from the metal art business in 2012.
     Two years later in July 2014, welder Emily Riedel joined RS Welding and in June 2015, welder Haley Voigtman joined the business.
         Today, the trio makes about 40 critters and around 300 additional products.
Covid brings change
      Fast forward to 2020 and Covid. It was a challenging time for everyone, including home-based vendors who closed down their tents at farmers’ markets in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.
       In 2021, Randy said the Des Moines Farmers’ Market reopened, but opted out of offering fresh prepared foods, music and crafts.
        With no place to go, the Schnebbe’s decided to start their own farmers’ market in Victor.
       In May 2021, Randy and AJ held their first scaled-back version of Homegrown Grace. They held the event monthly from May to September in both 2021 and 2022.
       In 2023, the couple switched the event to once in the spring and once in the fall. They continue to operate and grow the business under that twice-yearly format.
      Outside of the Homegrown Grace event, Randy farms and AJ keeps the Whistle Stop Coffee and Bar, the Chicken Coop and Got Dough business open and running.
      The couple also travels around the Midwest selling their metal art work. Next month, the couple will be in Illinois, with stops in Arkansas and Nebraska on the calendar.
       “We take 150 different items to the shows,” said AJ.
      “It is an amazing event that Randy and AJ put on,” said Chloe Zittergruen, owner of 140th Street Blooms based in nearby Keswick.
    The business specializes in locally grown seasonal cut flowers, pre-made bouquets, bouquet bars, arrangements, and u-picks.
    “I’m thankful that the Schnebbe’s provide this opportunity for local small businesses to have local community engagement and support,” added Zittergruen, an Iowa State University student and current Iowa FFA State President.
      Deanna Steffen, a Grinnell-based crafter, was at the event selling her hand crocheted necklaces, handmade bracelets, wallets and I-Watch bands through her business, Rustic Cowgurl. This is Steffen’s fourth time to showcase her items at Hometown Grace.
       “I like how they have a variety of vendors,” Steffen said of the event. “I enjoy the people who come and see me every time I am here.”
      Sisters, Clara and Hanna Daniels, owners of Living Bread Bakery, sold out of their sourdough bread offerings at this year’s Homegrown Grace event.
         This is the second year the sisters have sold their homemade bread at the market. The young duo is part of the Homegrown Kids vendors.
         Last year, AJ had T-shirts made for all the kid vendors selling their goods at the market.
         All proceeds from the sale of the sourdough bread go toward summer camp for the Daniels girls at East Iowa Bible Camp.
       When asked about the event, Clara said she likes watching all the people that attend the Homegrown Grace event.
          “They are all so happy buying things,” she said.
         Tamra Pfannkuch of Williamsburg is owner of Wild Rayne Mercantile. The business specializes in home fragrance and self-care items.
          This is the third time that Pfannkuch has had a booth at Homegrown Grace.
          “I love it because it has lots of local products,” said Pfannkuch. “The booth space is affordable and there is a wide variety of products, including a kids area. It has something for everyone to do.”
        Tamara Fry-Pietsch, owner of TFP Creativity in Sigourney was offering crochet sea life and chickens, as well as the same items with a holiday theme.
          “The ghost and pumpkin and octopuses stole the show,” Fry-Pietsch said.
         “I thought the event was great,” added Fry-Pietsch. “It had a really nice vibe and it was fun to be a part of it.”
        Daneen Schafbuch, who was working at the Whistle Stop Coffee and Bar at Saturday’s event, was also offering fresh flowers from her New Day Flower Farm in rural Brooklyn.
         “It’s a way to celebrate local vendors,” she said of Homegrown Grace.
          Brooklyn Wells, owner of Mayed by B, located in Guernsey, had a nice selection of handcrafted earrings made from polymer clay.
           This is Wells second year to offer her products at Homegrown Grace.
         Makayla Allen, a resident of Runnells and sophomore at Southeast Polk High School, was selling beeswax lotion bars. Her parents raise the bees and she uses the wax to make the lotion bars.
         “It’s a lot fun,” said Allen, who makes the lotion bars at part of her FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). “There are a lot of nice people here. Everyone is friendly.”    
           Other vendors at this fall’s Homegrown Grace included Montross Family Meats, Uniquely Yours, A Stitch in Time, Jenna’s Custom Glow, Western Edge Jewelry, Grandma Lisa Kitchen, Blended Elegance, Haines Cattle & Leather, Western Edge Jewelry, Sharon’s Card Creations, The Cookie Crumb, Potholders by Fred, Diamond Trail Designs, Inspirations Art Studio and many more.
         The RS Welding Studio Retail Store is open year round, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to Noon at the Cedar Rapids Farmers’ Market.
            The Whistle Stop is open Thursday and Friday from 6:30 a.m. – Noon and Saturday, 8 a.m. – Noon.
   For more information, call RS Welding Studio at 1-800-617-9464 or email them at [email protected].
            Check out their website at rsweldingstudio.com or on Facebook at RS Welding Studio.